If you don't know what that means, then you weren't at Crawford Elementary School on Wednesday. The fact of the matter is I'm too old to go to Crawford as a student, but I did get to visit Wednesday afternoon during the school's Black History Month program. The experience was not only entertaining and educational but the students' energy brought out the kid in me.

Seven students welcomed the crowd of their peers, parents and faculty to the almost hour-long program highlighting the African connection to our modern-day society. One of those students beat a drum that resonated throughout the gym.

Students showed how music, art, literature, math and body movements have all been greatly impacted by African influences. Throughout the month, Crawford students learned about the roots of their culture in the African perspective. And you could tell, they were excited about it.

As Black History Month came to a close, it was encouraging to see educators integrate numerous facets of curriculum into what really was just one lesson.

The lesson was seeded in understanding how this big confusing world can seem a lot smaller and actually make sense through learning.

The Arkansas Tech University Jazz Band also entertained the crowd with sounds and melodies honoring African-American performers.

Diane Holtz, art teacher; Megan Heikkila, music teacher; and Diane Walters, physical education teacher, along with the rest of the faculty, deserve a pat on the back for organizing the event and putting so much effort forward for Crawford students. I talked with these three ladies after the program, and their enthusiasm for the kids is contagious.

They talked about what they wanted to do next year and mentioned a desire to put on a program about Hispanic culture. I spent only a part of my day with the Crawford family, but it made me proud of the work our local educators do every day. The kids were an absolute joy.

I thank Principal Shannon Davis for inviting me.

The program opened with a collective "Jambo" from the students and ended with an "O-Dab-O."

"Jambo" is "hello" in Swahili, which is a Bantu language. "O-Dab-O" is goodbye in Yoruba which is a Niger-Congo language of southwestern Nigeria.

Thanks for the lesson and for educating today's youth. Sunday's "Word on the Street" will feature four Crawford students and their thoughts about their Black History Month experience. Look for it on page 3 of Sunday's edition.